Gabby Giffords Meets With Newtown Families

They talk about need for gun laws at private event

(Newser)
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Gabby Giffords met privately yesterday with families of victims from the Newtown shooting as well as local political leaders, reports the Hartford Courant. The event was kept low-key, but the topics of gun laws, mental illness, and "concerns that our society has become desensitized to acts of violence, conflict and aggression" were among the main talking points, a local selectman tells USA Today.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal also attended and said afterward that the Newtown community is healing—and preparing to play a big role in the push to reduce gun violence. "I believe that some of that community is ready now, and a lot will be ready in the future," he said. "Not only ready but will be deeply resolved to seek change." Before their visit to Newtown, Giffords and husband Mark Kelly, who has become an outspoken proponent of stricter gun laws after his wife's shooting, met with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The mayor is pushing for the same.

Rather than people being so speculative over guns they really need to be more interested in what Satan is up to and what his plans are. Even why the B.i.b.l.e says in the last days he will be cast down to the earth where he will reek havoc on the living. If you cast out God you will face His enemies and you may not like them either.

gmcft

Jan 5, 2013 10:06 PM CST

The reason why we are guaranteed the 2nd Amendment Right To Bear Arms; It’s not complicated; “Gun control is illegal, and it’s against the Constitution, the Second Amendment was designed to protect us from the power of the federal government.” --John Fisher "I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for a few public officials." — George Mason, in Debates in Virginia Convention on Ratification of the Constitution, Elliot, Vol. 3, June 16, 1788 "Whereas civil-rulers, not having their duty to the people duly before them, may attempt to tyrannize, and as military forces, which must be occasionally raised to defend our country, might pervert their power to the injury of their fellow citizens, the people are confirmed by the article in their right to keep and bear their private arms." -- Tench Coxe, in Remarks on the First Part of the Amendments to the Federal Constitution "The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed." -- Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers at 184-188 If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is then no recourse left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense which is paramount to all positive forms of government, and which against the usurpations of the national rulers may be exerted with infinitely better prospect of success than against those of the rulers of an individual State. In a single State, if the persons entrusted with supreme power become usurpers, the different parcels, subdivisions, or districts of which it consists, having no distinct government in each, can take no regular measures for defense. The citizens must rush tumultuously to arms, without concert, without system, without resource; except in their courage and despair. -- Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 28 "That the said Constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press or the rights of conscience; or to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms ...” -- Samuel Adams, Debates and Proceedings in the Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at 86-87 (Pierce & Hale, eds., Boston, 1850) "The Constitution preserves] the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation... (where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." --James Madison, The Federalist Papers, No. 46 "To suppose arms in the hands of citizens, to be used at individual discretion, except in private self-defense, or by partial orders of towns, countries or districts of a state, is to demolish every constitution, and lay the laws prostrate, so that liberty can be enjoyed by no man; it is a dissolution of the government. The fundamental law of the militia is, that it be created, directed and commanded by the laws, and ever for the support of the laws." --John Adams, A Defense of the Constitutions of the United States 475 (1787-1788) "Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive." --Noah Webster, An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution (Philadelphia 1787). "Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man against his own bosom. Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American...[T]he unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people." --Tenche Coxe, The Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788. "Whereas, to preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them; nor does it follow from this, that all promiscuously must go into actual service on every occasion. The mind that aims at a select militia, must be influenced by a truly anti-republican principle; and when we see many men disposed to practice upon it, whenever they can prevail, no wonder true republicans are for carefully guarding against it." --Richard Henry Lee, The Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788. "What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms." -- Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith,1787. ME 6:373,Papers 12:356 "No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Proposal Virginia Constitution, 1 T. Jefferson Papers, 334,[C.J. Boyd, Ed., 1950] "The right of the people to keep and bear ... arms shall not be infringed. A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the best and most natural defense of a free country ..." -- James Madison, I Annals of Congress 434, June 8, 1789 "What, Sir, is the use of a militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty .... Whenever Governments mean to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise an army upon their ruins." -- Rep. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, spoken during floor debate over the Second Amendment, I Annals of Congress at 750, August 17, 1789 " ... to disarm the people - that was the best and most effectual way to enslave them." -- George Mason, 3 Elliot, Debates at 380 " ... but if circumstances should at any time oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude, that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the people, while there is a large body of citizens, little if at all inferior to them in discipline and use of arms, who stand ready to defend their rights ..." -- Alexander Hamilton speaking of standing armies in Federalist 29 "Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?" -- Patrick Henry, 3 J. Elliot, Debates in the Several State Conventions 45, 2d ed. Philadelphia, 1836 "The great object is, that every man be armed ... Every one who is able may have a gun." -- Patrick Henry, Elliot, p.3:386 "O sir, we should have fine times, indeed, if, to punish tyrants, it were only sufficient to assemble the people! Your arms, wherewith you could defend yourselves, are gone ..." -- Patrick Henry, Elliot p. 3:50-53, in Virginia Ratifying Convention demanding a guarantee of the right to bear arms "The people are not to be disarmed of their weapons. They are left in full possession of them." -- Zacharia Johnson, delegate to Virginia Ratifying Convention, Elliot, 3:645-6 "A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government." --George Washington "When the government fears the people, you have liberty. When the people fear the government, you have tyranny." --Thomas Jefferson "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." --Thomas Jefferson "The militia is the natural defense of a free country against sudden foreign invasions, domestic insurrections, and domestic usurpation of power by rulers. The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of the republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally ... enable the people to resist and triumph over them." -- Joseph Story, Supreme Court Justice, Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, p. 3:746-7, 1833 " ... most attractive to Americans, the possession of arms is the distinction between a freeman and a slave, it being the ultimate means by which freedom was to be preserved." -- James Burgh, 18th century English Libertarian writer, Shalhope, The Ideological Origins of the Second Amendment, p.604 "The right [to bear arms] is general. It may be supposed from the phraseology of this provision that the right to keep and bear arms was only guaranteed to the militia; but this would be an interpretation not warranted by the intent. The militia, as has been explained elsewhere, consists of those persons who, under the laws, are liable to the performance of military duty, and are officered and enrolled for service when called upon.... [I]f the right were limited to those enrolled, the purpose of the guarantee might be defeated altogether by the action or the neglect to act of the government it was meant to hold in check. The meaning of the provision undoubtedly is, that the people, from whom the militia must be taken, shall have the right to keep and bear arms, and they need no permission or regulation of law for the purpose. But this enables the government to have a well regulated militia; for to bear arms implies something more than mere keeping; it implies the learning to handle and use them in a way that makes those who keep them ready for their efficient use; in other words, it implies the right to meet for voluntary discipline in arms, observing in so doing the laws of public order." -- Thomas M. Cooley, General Principles of Constitutional Law, Third Edition [1898] "And that the said Constitution be never construed to authorize Congress ... to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms.... " --Samuel Adams “The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed, if “the representatives of the people” betray their constituents, there is then no recourse left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense which is paramount to all positive forms of government.” --Alexander Hamilton “The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation … where the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.” --James Madison “What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms.” --Thomas Jefferson Author of the Virginia Bill of Rights, which inspired our Constitution’s Bill of Rights, said, “To disarm the people - that was the best and most effectual way to enslave them.” --George Mason "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves from tyranny in government." --Thomas Jefferson “Citizenship requires three boxes: The ballot box, the jury box and the cartridge box.” --Frederick Douglass “Certainly, one of the chief guarantees of freedom under any government, no matter how popular and respected, is the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms. … The right of the citizen to bear arms is just one guarantee against arbitrary government, one more safeguard against the tyranny which now appears remote in America but which historically has proven to be always possible.” --Late Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey "Certainly one of the chief guarantees of freedom under any government, no matter how popular and respected, is the right of citizens to keep and bear arms ... The right of citizens to bear arms is just one guarantee against arbitrary government, one more safeguard, against the tyranny which now appears remote in America but which historically has proven to be always possible." -- Hubert H. Humphrey, Senator, Vice President, 22 October 1959 "Politicians and diapers need to be changed frequently and for the same reason." --Mark Twain “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help." --President Ronald Reagan Leftist politicians “They are piddlers upon merit, beggars at the door of accomplishment, thieves of livelihood, envy-coddling tax lice applauding themselves for giving away other people’s money. They are the lap dogs of the Poly-Sci class, returning to the vomit of collectivism.” --P.J. O’Rourke “I’m sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and disagree with this administration, somehow you’re not patriotic. We need to stand up and say we’re Americans, and we have the right to debate and disagree with any administration. We are Americans, We have the right to participate and debate any administration" --Hillary Clinton “Armas para que?” (Guns, for what?) --Fidel Castro “The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to allow the subject races to possess arms. History shows that all conquerors who have allowed their subject races to carry arms have prepared their own downfall by so doing.” --Adolf Hitler “As President Obama is fond of saying, let me be perfectly clear about this: what Feinstein’s proposed legislation would invariably mean is that they would be sending SWAT teams to the homes of regular citizens who fail to register their firearms. They would assume those citizens to be ‘armed and dangerous,’ and they would be prepared to kill them if they resist. Killing people for disobeying an unconstitutional law. Killing people for possessing an object that they might have possessed for decades without ever misusing them in any way,” he said. “Anyone who doubts that this would happen should look at the assault on the Weaver home on Ruby Ridge. A federal marshal killed 14-year old Sammy Weaver, and an FBI sniper shot Randy Weaver, Kevin Harris, and Vicki Weaver - killing Vicki - all stemming from an accusation that Randy Weaver had sold two shotguns with barrels that were 1/4 inch shorter than federal law allows.” He also warned that as the process moves forward, gun owners shouldn’t expect a lot of consideration.

KimKendall

Jan 5, 2013 1:42 PM CST

it would seem the anti gun lobby is not above pipping the deaths of children for their cause

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